#nuzo

Here you go my murder drones obsessed cuties

  I like this episode.  Enough where it cracks my top 5, but barely.  The problem is, not much progress has been made since even 10 episodes ago.  Yeah, we have little things like the hand touch talking about Magnum’s mother, and a good amount of bonding, but it’s been sporadic at best and intentionally sparse.  And that’s frustrating.  Because the way this episode ends, it’s time to deliver. 

We start with Army vet Bob’s funeral from the previous episode.  It’s a nice overall moment, and while we do get some heart-felt looks between Magnum and Higgy, Bob’s brother drives home his point like a hammer: “Anybody you care about, tell them how you feel, then hold them close, and never let them go.”  Straight to a pointed look at Juliet, who smiles back. 

Gordy on a motorcycle!  And I like the conversations between Gordon and his fellow officers.  Fun and entertaining.  But we’re back to the bar and drinking somewhat early.  Though Kumu slamming the drink is pretty hardcore.  I think I’ve commented once or twice about the amount of drinking in this show, but it’s getting a bit excessive.  I’m not saying they’re drunk every episode and yes, I realize that La Mariana is a freakin’ bar, but it seems an increasing number of the episodes are featuring more drinking scenes and more mentions of drinking.  Maybe that’s just me.  But everyone cuts their drinking short because they have stuff to do, leaving Thomas and Juliet.

And since we have to, Ella’s father from the previous episode is texting with Higgy, and we get Magnum teasing her a little bit and them both trying to play it off that their not gauging the other’s reactions while they are gauging the other’s reaction.  Which it might not have been a thing except it’s made a thing because she quickly tried to hide it from Magnum, which then draws more attention to it, and we go into a recursive spiral of reaction-gauging.

Well, Gordy puts Magnum in an interrogation room, and plays him the threatening message Nuzo left on the guys voicemail three days before the guy is executed.  And goddammit!!!!  Magnum lies to Gordon AGAIN.  What the crap.  At this point, if I were Katsumoto, I don’t think I could trust Magnum. 

But we have Magnum lying to Gordon about knowing Fletcher, and then Nuzo appears while Magnum is thinking in the car.  At this point, Nuzo is just Magnum’s memories.  Then some of the crew is gathered at the guest house, and Higgins immediately knows Magnum lied to Gordon.  He shares what he knows, everyone knows their parts, and Magnum goes for the door.  Higgins goes after him, to check on him, and he freaking blows her off and tells her he’s fine.  BS.  And I’m really frustrated that we really love going to the “Oh, it’s personal now, so screw logic, I’m going it alone”. 

I guess Magnum needed to be alone so imaginary/memory/sub-conscious Nuzo could pop back in.  I like Domineck Lombardozzi.  I don’t particularly agree with this scene, though.  Nuzo was a Navy SEAL, and killing somebody hand-to-hand is not out of the ordinary.  It’s something SEALs train for, and are not going to shy away from when necessary.  So maybe it’s just me again, but the fact that Nuzo was good at and used close-quarters combat doesn’t really change anything.  It’s part of his job.  Now if he had gone to that first, and been shown standing over the bodies or something or that he had a huge smile on his face, than that’s different.  But he was simply doing his job as a SEAL.

Magnum and Gordy get into it a little and rightfully so.  Magnum owes Katsumoto a TON because he could really have Magnum arrested for 1) Obstructing an investigation, 2) Interfering with an investigation, and if the conversation at HPD was recorded, 3) Lying to a police officer.  So this committing of misdemeanors in wholesale fashion should probably stop and Magnum ought to be a lot more grateful to Gordon and more forthcoming with info.  And Gordon’s right, Magnum’s actions make Nuzo look guiltier.      

I like Higgy and T.C.’s conversation about Magnum.  They both realize that Thomas hasn’t moved on from Nuzo’s death, and both want to help but he won’t let anyone.  But while Thomas does somewhat patch it up with Juliet during their conversation, she offers again and he turns her down again.  And Nuzo gives him both freakin’ barrels.  Rightfully.  I really liked that conversation between Magnum and Nuzo.  It was emotional, it was raw, it was everything it needed to be.

Just for reference, Magnum, if someone runs you off with a shotgun because you’re snooping around, you may want to make sure Higgy knows that.  But they find the chart with the grid search, and head out to dive the last site.  And we get Thomas and Juliet being very physically interactive as they nonchalantly work together to get Thomas’ dive equipment on.  I love how they don’t even seem to think about how touchy that is.  

Back to Thomas and Juliet ‘talking’.  I LIKE THIS.  Even though Thomas says he told Gordon he’d stay out of the rest of it, Juliet calls him out hard on this and he gives her, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t think about it.  We’re just talking!”  Her smiles are just perfect.  Since they do identify a crucial connection, Magnum and Higgins could really just pass it off as them realizing they might have information to help because of the prior investigation four years prior.

When the traffickers are going to flee, are they really going to try to get away by boat?  Let’s say they have the logistics worked and they can make 20 knots on that catamaran.  That still only means they might get 40 miles from shore (2 hours) before HPD has helos up and calls in Coast Guard assistance.  Shoot, even any Navy ships out at sea in the area might be called in (not likely) to help.  Anyway, they’re not making it far. 

But then we wouldn’t have a great fight scene where Higgy and Magnum take out four baddies hand-to-hand, nobody dies, and we get a fierce protective look from Thomas when the gun gets pointed at Juliet.  Solid fight.  Perdita Weeks and Jay Hernandez have some great fight choreographers. 

And that sets us up for the big close.  First, the transition when Magnum goes up to the bar, from the full, noisy establishment to a quiet, empty bar with just him and Nuzo.  Incredibly well done.  And we have that Magnum hasn’t moved on because of survivor’s guilt.  Survivor’s guilt is so incredibly complex and intimate, and it’s treated so well in this scene that it might be the best depiction of it that I’ve ever seen.  And it makes a lot of small things make sense.  For Magnum and for the Ohana.  So Nuzo delivers the money lines, “Here you are, with a chance to be happier than you’ve ever been.  And you WON’T TAKE IT!  Every day is a gift, Magnum!  Don’t let it slip through your fingers.  All you have to do is go over there and tell her how you feel.”  And the cut to Higgy while he’s talking? PERFECT.  Jay Hernandez was the producer on this one, and I’m definitely impressed with this scene in particular. 

Hey All, Nuzo here!! Keep an eye out on this space for Nuz-Lan Updates and Events!! Still trying to figure out a time for Nuz-Lan #5 so keep an eye out!! So far the games list looks like; HoN - Main game to be played! will hold Various HoN Tournaments Duke Nukem Forever CSS/DODS BC2/BF3(if its out) L4D2 - Always a favorite UT4 - Big hit at Nuz-Lan #4 Magica/Magica Vietnam And any more that pop up!

Thanks,

Nuz-lan #4 - 24/9/2010 - 26/9/2010

Hey All,

Nuzo here with some Vids from other Nuz-Lan's.

Video can be found over at youtube.

Nuz-lan #4 - 24/9/2010 - 26/9/2010

http://youtu.be/gfL7IsU-GSc

Nuz-Lan #3 - 02/10/2009 - 05/10/2009

http://youtu.be/n2b9-8tFUes